Rakshit Shetty (born 6 June 1983) is an Indian actor, film producer, writer, and filmmaker of Kannada cinema. He is the recipient of two Filmfare Awards South.
Shetty was born in Udupi on 6 June 1983 in a Tulu-speaking Bunt family. He completed his schooling in his hometown. During his schooling days, he was an avid Pili Nalike dancer, a folk dance in the Tulu Nadu region. Before starting his movie career, he completed his bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communications engineering at N.M.A.M. Institute of Technology, Nitte, Karkala. After graduating, he worked as a software professional for two years before becoming an actor starting in theatre.
Shetty began dating his co-star Rashmika Mandanna during the making of Kirik Party, and the couple got engaged on 3 July 2017 in a private ceremony in her hometown of Virajpet but mutually broke off their engagement in September 2018.
Shetty made his acting debut in 2010 with Nam Areal Ond Dina, it didn’t garner much popularity or success to him. Later, the romance-comedy 2013 film Simple Agi Ondh Love Story proved to be a breakthrough film for him after which he directed and starred in the crime-drama Ulidavaru Kandanthe in 2014. The film won him the Karnataka State Film Award for Director’s First Time Best Film and the Filmfare Award South for Best Director.
The film holds cult status among the Kannada audience. He followed it by starring in Ricky, Vaastu Prakaara (2015), and the critical success Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu (2016). Shetty achieved further success with the 2016 college drama Kirik Party which he wrote and produced, it was a critical and commercial success. In 2022, Shetty was seen in 777 Charlie, with his co-star, Charlie, a Labrador; Shetty produced 777 Charlie with the direction of Kiranraj K, under Paramvah Studios.
Directors Pawan Kumar, Anup Bhandari, Hemanth M. Rao, Manjunatha Somashekara Reddy (Mansore), Rishab Shetty, and Raj B. Shetty along with Rakshit have been credited by the media and in the Kannada film industry as having begun the new wave of filmmaking. Throughout his career, he has established himself in the Kannada film industry.
